Celebrity Cruises has revamped Celebrity Solstice with new restaurants, lounges and outdoor spaces shaped by 15 years of guest feedback.
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- Celebrity Cruises has updated the 18-year-old Celebrity Solstice ship to suit the tastes of modern travelers.
- Guest feedback led to the addition of an Italian restaurant and a redesigned outdoor park with increased seating.
- The refurbished ship is currently plying the Alaska route, the company’s main market.
JUNEAU, Alaska — The sparkling chanteuse in a bubblegum pink column dress made a smooth transition from Ray’s “Where Is My Husband!” A version of Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” is interspersed with Madonna’s “Material Girl.”
A jukebox musical on Celebrity Solstice’s recent Alaska itinerary epitomized the cruise ship’s revitalized spirit. A classic with a modern touch.
Nearly two decades after the Solstice class helped redefine premium cruising, Celebrity Cruises is betting that travelers still want an elevated experience: more comfortable seats, more shade, and maybe even a side of Italian pasta.
“Every time a cruise line reinvents a tried-and-true popular ship, there’s a real sweet spot,” AAA spokesman Matthew Cox told USA TODAY. “Members will be able to experience all the comforts of a ship they already know and love, with the excitement of being back on board a ship that feels new.”
What I noticed aboard the renovated ship was not a flashy new lounge or renovated restaurant. It was a board game. they were everywhere.
Guests gathered around tables in the ship’s new parlor venue, sipping cocktails and carefully reading instructions for an unfamiliar game. Some people brought unfinished games to the buffet or brought playing cards into the main dining restaurant.
Celebrities knew that Midsummer guests would do them a favor.
“When a ship reaches an off-estimate condition, its lifespan is cut in half,” Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge told USA TODAY in an onboard interview during the Alaska cruise.
Hodges Bethge says the answer comes from 15 years of guest data and feedback. The company looked at what travelers love, what feels outdated, and what spaces no longer fit the way cruises are done today.
Nightclubs weren’t a hit this decade. But board games, sports bars, and social spaces are new favorites.
“Cruise ship nightclubs were very popular back then,” she said of the ship’s former Quasar nightclub space. “They’re not that popular anymore.”
In its place now stands The Parlor, part upscale sports bar and nostalgic game room, complete with billiards, foosball, upscale pub fare, and shelves stocked with games ranging from classics to obscure strategy picks.
“It’s designed to keep the energy flowing throughout the day,” Cox said of the stage at The Boulevard, across from The Parlor. “We create a sophisticated yet vibrant atmosphere, creating an experience for guests who want to engage with the environment and entertainment, rather than simply observing it.”
That social energy was palpable during my Alaska voyage.
Passenger Adrian Wilton from New Zealand’s Kapiti Coast said he was impressed with The Parlor. She booked the cruise through a promotion that offered 75% off second passenger fares, and then spent the night there participating in a singalong and dancing with other guests.
Travel agent Wilton said she and her group had a lot of fun at ABBA’s singalong, adding that the ship was “so much prettier” after the refurbishment. “Normally I check for defects,” she said. “But everything looks good and clean.”
She said Celebrity felt more upscale than other competitors, praising both the cheerful crew and refreshed spaces throughout the ship.
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The review goes far beyond a single venue.
The celebs also transformed the ship’s former Lawn Club into Sunset Park, replacing hard-to-maintain real grass with grass, expanding seating areas, installing umbrellas, and providing casual dining designed to encourage guests to linger outdoors longer.
“They wanted to live in this space,” Hodges-Besge said of guest feedback. “They wanted to lie down, sit, watch movies[played in the outdoor space]and do activities.”
The redesign seems to be working. Even in the cold Alaskan spring, passengers would regularly gather outside with a number of complimentary blankets to sip drinks, watch the sunset, and sail away.
“Things like this are real projects that show that we’re committed to keeping things fresh and new, that we’re listening to the feedback and expectations of our clients and customers, and that we’re delivering on that,” Cox added. “It’s really just taking the best of the feedback that they’re experiencing and providing it to vessels that haven’t had it before.”
What are the characteristics of the ship?
Between Alaska’s glacier-lined coastline and the unexpected competition at sea in the Finish the Lyric game, Celebrity Solstice seems to be finding ways to surprise guests while still meeting their expectations.
Here are some of my quick takeaways.
- food: While the two-hour main dining system provides plenty of food, especially during peak hours around 6:30 or 8:30 p.m., the specialty restaurants steal the show with their richly seasoned dishes, vibrant menus, and excellent value for the quality and portions. (A special recommendation is Sushi on Five, which had an Indian menu one day and hearty ramen and sushi the rest of the week. At $40 per passenger, it’s a great deal.)
- cabin: Our verandah cabin was spacious and comfortable for two people. We recommend bringing a portable white noise machine, especially in Alaska where winds can get loud throughout the night.
- service: The staff were excellent throughout. At the buffet and throughout the ship, crew members regularly went the extra mile, whether it was by serving coffee, tracking down tea that wasn’t on display, or simply making guests comfortable. (Of note, one night the balcony divider wobbled, but the flight attendants fixed it in less time than it took me to walk from the guest services desk back to the cabin.)
- Entertainment: There was always something to do, from socializing and interacting with guests to quieter options. Even on a sea day when it was too cold to use the outdoor pool, the ship never felt overwhelmingly crowded. (The parlor is the most crowded space, but also the most fun. It wasn’t hard to find a space there.)
There is no doubt that food played a big role in refreshing the ship.
Celebrity replaced the underused restaurant, Le Petit Chef, with a new Italian restaurant, Trattoria Rossa, offering more tableside cooking and making dinner an event. “The number one food that our guests wanted was Italian food, and we didn’t have that,” Hodges-Besge said.
A balance between preserving fan favorites while modernizing the experience was central to the renovation strategy. “If I had taken away the martini bar, if I had taken away the Murano, I would have been in big trouble,” she joked.
The refurbished Solstice is currently sailing Alaska itineraries, which have seen strong celebrity demand despite increased competition in the premium cruise market. Hodges Bethge said Alaska remains “critically important” to the brand as the company evaluates future expansion plans.
But for many passengers, the appeal was less about industry strategy and design philosophy.
Ian and Lynn Le Vallee, who live on the British island of Guernsey, booked the trip during the pandemic but were forced to cancel. Years later, they finally set out on their journey, boarding a ship from the English Channel to Hawaii for a month-long vacation.
“I wanted to do it while I was still healthy enough to enjoy it,” Lin said.
Like many travelers, the people at Le Vallee seemed less about innovation and redesign and more about finally making the trip they’ve been waiting for years for.
This article has been updated to update the headline.
The reporter for this article received cruise access from Celebrity Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control.
Josh Rivera is USA TODAY’s senior travel and consumer editor.
